Noorun 'ala Noor

This beautiful phrase is stuck in my head. Light upon light. Can you picture it? This phrase is mentioned in surah 24:35 which is beautiful in its translation. I am sure it is stunning in Arabic. O Allah give me the 'ilm to understand its entire meaning. The following is taken from www.alim.org. (You can listen to the recitation by pressing the yellow button). Various translations are given below.

(It would make a nice name for a baby girl. A more Malay variation of it would be Nurul 'Aina Munirah = The light of our eyes the brilliant, illuminating)

Surah 24. An-Nur, Ayah 35

۞ اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ ۚ نُورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ ۗ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

Asad

:

God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His light is, as it were, 50  that of a niche containing a lamp; the lamp is [enclosed] in glass, the glass [shining] like a radiant star: 51  [a lamp] lit from a blessed tree -an olive-tree that is neither of the east nor of the west 52  - the oil whereof [is so bright that it] would well-nigh give light [of itself] even though fire had not touched it: light upon light! 53  God guides unto His light him that wills [to be guided]; 54  and [to this end] God propounds parables unto men, since God [alone] has full knowledge of all things. 55

Malik

:

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche, in which there is a lamp, the lamp is enclosed in crystal, the crystal is of a starlike brilliance, it is lit with the olive oil from a blessed olive tree which is neither eastern nor western, its very oil would almost be luminous though no fire touched it - as though all the means of increasing Light upon Light are provided - Allah guides to His Light whom He pleases. Allah cites such parables to make His message clear to the people; and Allah has knowledge of everything.

Pickthall

:

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a shining star. (This lamp is) kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself) though no fire touched it. Light upon light, Allah guideth unto His light whom He will. And Allah speaketh to mankind in allegories, for Allah is knower of all things.

Yusuf Ali

:

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: lit from a blessed Tree an Olive neither of the East nor of the West whose Oil is well-nigh luminous though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light. Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.  2996   2997   2998   2999   3000   3001   3002   3003